Five-Day Teaching with Writing Seminar

August 19–23, 2024
Deadline to register: July 30th, 2024
(or when capacity is reached)

Request registration

Since 2002, the annual Five-Day Teaching with Writing Seminar has offered UMN faculty members a congenial, retreat-like opportunity in which they can focus on course-relevant writing assignments, activities, instruction, and assessments. Based on the premise that writing and text can be defined broadly to include verbal, numeric, figurative, and visualized modes, this seminar is appropriate for instructors across the University's curriculum.

Each participant spends the week focusing on an individual course they teach. Together, we move through a sequence of half-day sessions, identifying course-specific learning goals and logistical exigencies, and, from there, considering modes of writing activity and instruction that support those goals and are both course-relevant and logistically feasible. From there, we look at, develop, and workshop writing assignments and activities as well as approaches to assessing student writing. By week's end, everyone will have...

By week's end, everyone will have...

Identified a subset of specific writing abilities they expect students to develop/demonstrate (because no one course can do everything!).
Designed (or revised) low-stakes and high-stakes writing assignments that stem from identified course goals and are appropriate to course venues (in-person, hybrid, online, large-enrollment, seminar-style, lab-courses, etc.).
Become familiar with strategies for providing students with effective, actionable feedback on their writing.
Considered a variety of approaches to assessing student texts (including peer response, contracts, and reflective self-assessment) in order to identify one that works well in specific course contexts.
Been given access to a site loaded with instructional resources.
Spent five mornings engaged in lively conversation with interesting colleagues from across the disciplines. We supply good coffee (and tea) every day.

Seminar venue: We'll meet daily, in-person, from 9:30 am–12:30 pm

Faculty members working and writing in a classroom

Registrants commit to the week: Because the seminar is intentionally designed to work from establishing course contexts, to identifying writing-oriented goals, to developing or revising writing assignments and activities, and ultimately to experimenting with modes of assessment), it won’t work to come and go throughout the week.

Registration logistics: This seminar is designed for faculty members and others who serve as lead instructors or instructors of record for the course(s) they teach*. Register by 7/30/24. The seminar is capped at 25 participants and requires a minimum of 20 participants.

*Those who assist with course design and instruction (e.g., TAs) are encouraged to register for the annual TA/GI workshops (8/28/24 and 8/29/24) and are welcomed to consult with a member of the WAC team about their interests, concerns, and ideas.

Who takes this seminar?

Since 2002, the annual 5-Day Teaching with Writing Seminar has enrolled participants from the following departments:

“Absolutely, one of the best workshops I've attended at the UMN. Excellent teaching strategies that extend beyond writing. I found everything useful! I'm really excited (rather than intimidated) to incorporate more writing into my design courses and now feel I have the tools to do it effectively.”

“Re-framing how I felt about writing in the classroom has changed my perspective from anxiety to excitement.”

“I have never taken any writing or teaching course and I was anxious to get some formal training and new ideas. I have been really pleased with what I have learned! This seminar has given me confidence to continue reducing lectures and increasing discussion and writing-oriented activity.”

“This was the most useful faculty development offering I have ever experienced. It has changed the way I teach and the way I write!”

Facilitator

Matthew Luskey,
Incoming Director, Writing Across the Curriculum

Questions?

Contact [email protected]

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August 19–23, 2024
Deadline to register: July 30th, 2024
(or when capacity is reached)

Request registration

Who takes this seminar?

Facilitator

Questions?

Writing Across the Curriculum

Affiliation

Contact

2023 Exemplary Enduring
WAC Program Award

Systemwide Footer

System Campuses

Five-Day Teaching with Writing Seminar

August 19–23, 2024Deadline to register: July 30th, 2024 (or when capacity is reached)

Request registration

Who takes this seminar?

Facilitator

Questions?

Writing Across the Curriculum

Affiliation

Contact

2023 Exemplary Enduring WAC Program Award

Systemwide Footer

System Campuses

August 19–23, 2024
Deadline to register: July 30th, 2024
(or when capacity is reached)

2023 Exemplary Enduring
WAC Program Award